Automatic water-heater valve.



H. C. MAUL.

AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1215.

1,21 3,229. Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

m: mmms r-rrsns ca. Pnomumm. WASHINGmJ. n r

H. C. MAUL.

AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER VALVE- APPLICATION FILED MAY 27,1916.

1,213,229, Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- l MUM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. MAUL, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE MICHIGAN STOVE COMPANY, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC WATER-HEATER VALVE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. MAUL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of'Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic VVater-Heater Valves, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This is an improvement in connection with the valve disclosed in my Patent No. 1,171,622, granted Feb. 15, 1916.

A valve for controlling the supply of water and gas to an instantaneous water heater is necessarily subjected during its period of usefulness to a great many operations and the first part of the valve to show wear or depreciation after a severe test corresponding to over ten years use of the valve, is the water valve per se. The leakage and wear in connection with the water valve disclosed in my former patent was reduced to a minimum, but it was found that certain improvements would render the valve more efficient and increase the longevity of the same.

Besides having the same objects in view as disclosed by my former patent, the present invention aims to provide a valve for instantaneous water heaters which will include novel means for regulating the action of the water valve from the exterior of the water chamber; novel means for regulating the expansive force of the spring in connection with the gas valve; a novel self seat adj ustment for the water valve, and an auxiliary diaphragm cooperating with other diaphragms of the valve structure in assuring a more positive or sensitive operation of the water and gas valves in controlling the supply of water and gas to a heater.

The above and other results are attained by a mechanical construction that will be hereinafter described and then: claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the valve, showing the water and gas valves closed; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same showing the water and gas valves open, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line III-III of Fig; 2, with a portion of the valve broken away.

Corresponding to my former va1ve, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

Application filed May 27, 1916. Serial No. 100,201.

present valve includes a gas chamber 1 having a gas nlet connectlon 2and a gas outlet connectlon 3; a diaphragm 4 on the gas chamber 1 held in place by an atmospheric chamber 5, and a water chamber 6 having a water intake connection 7 and an opposed flushing connection 8. In my former pat ent the gas chamber has an integral cap and in the present valve, I provide the water former extendingthrough a central opening 17 in the top of the atmospheric chamber 5.

Within the atmospheric chamber 5 and engaging the diaphragm 1 is a coiled compression spring 18, said spring encircling the nut 16 and engaging a seat member 20 on the end of a ball crank 21 pivotally con nected to a bracket 22 attached to the top of the atmospheric chamber 5. The short arm of the bell crank 21 is bifurcated or forked, as at 23, to span and engage the inner end of a screw 2% adjustable in the side wall of the atmospheric chamber 5. By adjusting this screw the expansive force of the spring 18 may be increased or decreased to regulate the flexing action of the diaphragm 7 1 in connection with the gas valve 1 1.

The diaphragm 11 is provided with a central opening to receive a valve seat member 25 establishing communication between the cap 9 and the water chamber 6. The valve seat member 25 is held in engagement with the diaphragm 11 by a valve housing 26 in screwthreaded engagement therewith, said housing holding an inverted cu-p shaped re-' ciprocable valve 27 having the upper end thereof beveled to engage the inner end of the valve seat member 25. In the valve housing 26 is a coiled compression spring '28 holding the valve 27 normally seated, also against a prong 29 carried by a valve regulating lever 30 within the cap 9. One end of the lever 30 is pivotally connected, as at 31, to a bracket 32 attached to the inner wall,

of the cap 9, and the opposite end of said lever is loosely held between heads or collars 33 of a screw ea adjustable in the wall ot said cap. A nut 35 on the screw 3% holds said screw in an adjusted position and by virtue of said screw the lever 30 may be adjusted to regulate the position of the valve 27 relative to its housing. The valve housing 26 is hexagonal in cross section with each facet provided with a radial port and the end of said housing has a socket 36 to receive the end of the gas valve stem 15, thereby couplingthe gas valve 14: to the valve housing 26 to move in synchronism therewith.

Mounted on top of the atmospheric chamber 5 and held thereon by the water chamher 6 is a retaining plate 37 for an auxiliary diaphragm 38. This auxiliary dia phragm is preferably of the bellows type in communication with the atmosphere through the atmospheric chamber 5 and the opening 17 in the top thereof. The diaphragm 38 is held in engagement with the end of the valve housing 26 by the nut 16 and said diaphragm is of less area than the diaphragm 11. p

In operation, a reduction of water pressure in the cap 9 caused by opening a spigot or faucet, will cause the pressure of water within the chamber (3 to flex the diaphragm 11 as said diaphragm is of greater area than the diaphragm 38, thereby shifting the valve housing 26 relative to the valve 27, which is held against the prong 29 of the lever 30 by the spring 28. As the valve seat member is moved away from the valve 27, the valve seat member and the ports establish com munication between the water chamber 6 and the cap 9, thereby allowing water to flow through the valve to a heater. Since the gas valve 1a is coupled to the valve housing 26, an opening movement of said valve housing unseats the gas valve 14 and allows gas to flow through the chamber 1. A cessation in the flow of water through the chamber 6 and the cap 9 causes the pressure to equalize on both sides of the diaphragm 11, neutralizing the effect on said diaphragm leaving the pressure of water within the chamber 6 to act on the auxiliary diaphragm 38 only, said diaphragm operating with the diaphragm 11 in shifting the valve housing 26 into engagement with the valve 27, shutting oli' the supply of water to the cap 9 and also the supply of gas to the outlet connection 3.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by exterior adjustment the expansive force of the spring 18 in connection with the diaphragm 4 may be regulated, also the action of the valve housing 26 relative to the valve 27. So long as the valve 27 can seat on the inner end of the member 25, said valve may be loose within the housing 26 and free from wear therein. Should occasion require, the valve seat member 25 may be easily removed and renewed, and by reference to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the adjusting means of the diaphragm and spring 28 is disposed above that of the valve adjusting means, whereby the screws 24 and as may be adjusted without interfering with any of the gas or water chamber connections.

I attach considerable importance to the auxiliary diaphragm 38 being of less area than diaphragm 11, as this tends to have the va'ves operate with less water pressure particularly when a very small quantity of water is allowed to flow through the chamber 6 and the cap 9. The cap 9, together with the superposed chambers, constitute a durable casing for the entire valve mechanism, and through the medium of the bell crank 21 and the screw 2d the action of the gas valve diaphragm can be regulated to insure proper cooperation of the various elements of the valve.

lVhat I claim is 1. A water heater valve comprising a casing having a gas chamber, a water chamber, an atmospheric chamber between said gas and water chambers, a cap for said water chamber, a movable valve seat member establishing communication between said cap and said water chamber, a valve held normally seated against said valve seat member, means in said cap operable from the outside thereof for adjusting said valve relative to said valve seat member, a gas valve in said valve chamber, and a connection between said gas valve and said valve seat member to cause movement thereof in synchronism.

2. A water heater valve comprising a casing having a gas chamber, a water chamber, an atmospheric chamber between said gas and water chambers, a cap for said water chamber, a movable valve seat member establishing communication between said cap and said water chamber, a valve held normally seated against said valve seat member, a gas valve in said gas chamber, a connection between said gas valve and said valve seat member to cause said valve and member to move in synchronism, a spring in said atmospheric chamber adapted for moving said gas valve, and means in said atmospheric chamber operable from the outside thereof adapted for regulating the expansive force of said spring.

3. A water heater valve comprising a gas chamber, a water chamber, an atmospheric chamber between said gas and Water chambers, a cap for said water chamber, a movable valve seat member establishing communication between said cap and said wa-' ter chamber, diaphragms at the ends of said water chamber supporting said valve seat member, a valve held normally seated against said valve seat member, means in said cap adapted for adjusting said valve relative to said valve seat member, a gas valve in said gas chamber, a connection between said gas valve and said valve seat member to cause movement thereof in synchronism, means in said atmospheric chamber adapted for closing said gas valve, and means operable from outside of said atmospheric chamber for regulating the last mentioned means.

4. A valve comprising a casing having inlet and outlet connections, a flexible diaphragm between said connections, a valve carried by said diaphragm, means extending from one side of said diaphragm to the other to hold said valve open when said diaphragm is flexed from neutral position, and another diaphragm of less area than the first men tioned diaphragm and attached tothe oppo- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner Washington, I). C.

HENRY O. MAUL.

move in synchroy signature lVitnesses EMMET Dwrnn, CEPHUS POMAVILLE.

of Patents, 7 

